Audio Video News

Zenith Electronics Corporation is recalling many rear-projection analog televisions made and sold in the late 1990s.

In cooperation with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the Lincolnshire, Illinois–based manufacturer is voluntarily recalling for repair about 80,000 large-screen, analog projection televisions manufactured between 1995 and 1998.

The recall is an expansion of a 1998 recall program involving 111,000 projection television sets. A tear in a gasket can cause coolant fluid to leak from the picture tube assembly. This can cause smoking, charring, and electrical arcing inside of the television, posing a fire hazard to consumers. Over the past four years, Zenith has received 45 reports of incidents involving coolant leakage, causing smoking or charring with the televisions, including four cases where minor property damage occurred outside of the unit. No injuries have been reported.

The projection televisions recalled in this expansion and the earlier program have 46–60" screens and were manufactured from April 1995 through July 1997, and August 1998 through November 1998. The date of manufacture can be found on the white label on the back of the set. These televisions were manufactured in Mexico. Major appliance and department stores nationwide sold these televisions from about April 1995 through April 1999 for between $1200 and $2800.

Projection televisions manufactured after 1998 are not included in this recall—neither are big-screen LCD and plasma displays.

Consumers who have one of these televisions should call Zenith immediately Zenith at (800) 777-5195 to arrange for a free inspection and repair. Consumers also can visit the company's dedicated website.